Cooperative Photochemical Reaction Kinetics in Organic Molecular Crystals

Photoreactive molecular crystals have been intensively investigated as next-generation functional materials. Changes in physicochemical properties are usually interpreted in terms of static pre- and post-reaction molecular structures and packings determined by X-ray structure analysis. However, to elucidate the dynamic properties, it is necessary to understand the dynamic nature of photochemical kinetics in crystals. Reaction dynamics in the crystal phase can be dramatically different from those in dilute solution because the local molecular environment evolves as the surrounding reactant molecules are transformed into products. In this Review article, we summarize multiple examples of photochemical reactions in the crystalline phase that do not follow classical kinetic behavior. We also discuss different theoretical methods that can be used to describe this behavior. This Review article should help provide a foundation for future workers to understand and analyze photochemical reaction kinetics in crystals.

2D to 3D solvent mediated transformation of a photoreactive lanthanum MOF: a case of three parallel photo-cycloaddition reactions

Irradiation of the 3D MOF [La₂(hex)₃(H₂O)₄]3H₂O, obtained upon dehydration of the layered compound [La₂(hex)₃(H₂O)₆]9H₂O, gives two [2 + 2] and one [4 + 4] photocycloaddition reactions occurring in the parallel reaction scheme.

Single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2 + 2] photodimerizations: from discovery to design

The purpose of this review is to address fundamentals and applications of single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) reactions, based on the [2 + 2] photodimerization. An overview of SCSC [2 + 2] photodimerizations, which comprise single- and multi-component solids, will be given. We reveal that materials that exhibit SCSC reactivity can be considered to have been achieved via either discovery or design. We suggest that SCSC [2 + 2] photodimerizations, if generally achieved, could provide new avenues to control bulk physical properties of solid-state materials.

NMR spectroscopy of the solid-state isomerization of nitrito- and nitro-pentamminecobalt(III) chloride

Cobalt-59 and nitrogen-15 NMR spectra of the nitritopentamminecobalt(III) chloride, [(NH3)5Co-ONO]Cl2, and nitropentamminecobalt(III) chloride, [(NH3)5Co-NO2]Cl2, isomers in the solid state have been obtained at several applied magnetic field strengths. The 59Co NMR line shapes indicate that both the cobalt nuclear quadrupolar coupling constant (CQ) and the span of the chemical shift tensor (Ω) decrease when the complex isomerizes from [(NH3)5Co-ONO]2+ to [(NH3)5Co-NO2]2+; CQ decreases from 23 to 10.3 MHz and Ω changes from 1650 to 260 ppm. The 15N NMR line shapes also show a significant change in the nitrogen magnetic shielding tensor upon isomerization, with Ω decreasing from 710 to 547 ppm; also, an indirect spin-spin coupling, 1J(59Co,15N) = 63 Hz, is observed in the 15N NMR spectra of the nitro isomer. The NMR parameters are rationalized based on differences in the molecular structure of the two isomers. NMR spectra have also been recorded as the isomerization progresses with time and demonstrate the practicality of the technique for the study of solid-state isomerizations.Key words: 15N, 59Co, solid-state NMR, linkage isomerization, chemical shift tensor, electric field gradient tensor.

Aspects of the Photodimerization Mechanism of 2,4-Dichlorocinnamic Acid Studied by Kinetic Photocrystallography

Photoinduced structural variations in single crystals of 2,4-dichloro-trans-cinnamic acid (C9H6Cl2O2, DiClCA) have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (photocrystallography) and optical spectroscopic methods. During UV irradiation, which initiates the irreversible dimerization reaction, a loss of the long-range order of the reactant single crystal was found, i.e., that the dimerization is a heterogeneous one. This unexpected result emphasizes the still-existing problem of predicting changes or of remaining periodicity during chemical reactions in the solid state. On the basis of the experimental results, we propose a qualitative kinetic reaction scheme for DiClCA heterogeneous dimerization reaction.

Gas-solid reactions of single crystals: a study of reactions of NH3 and NO2 with single crystalline organic substrates by infrared microspectroscopy

Reaction of single crystals of benzoic and trans-cinnamic acids with 200 Torr pressure of ammonia gas in a sealed glass bulb at 20 degrees C generates the corresponding ammonium salts; there is no sign of any 1:2 adduct as has been reported previously for related systems. Isotopic substitution using ND3 has been used to aid identification of the products. Adipic acid likewise reacts with NH3 gas to form a product in which ammonium salts are formed at both carboxylic acid groups. Reaction of 0.5 Torr pressure of NO2 gas with single crystals of 9-methylanthracene and 9-anthracenemethanol in a flow system generates nitrated products where the nitro group appears to be attached at the 10-position, i.e. the position trans to the methyl or methoxy substituent on the central ring. Isotopic substitution using 15NO2 has been used to confirm the identity of the bands arising from the coordinated NO2 group. The products formed when single crystals of hydantoin are reacted with NO2 gas under similar conditions depend on the temperature of the reaction. At 20 degrees C, a nitrated product is formed, but at 65 degrees C this gives way to a product containing no nitro groups. The findings show the general applicability of infrared microspectroscopy to a study of gas-solid reactions of organic single crystals.